Courier Cookbook Cake Toppings

This week's cookbook focuses on cake toppings and fillings. There are many traditional icings, whipped creams, and whipped creams to choose from when finishing your cake. They are all made of butter (or Crisco), powdered sugar and vanilla. Add milk to thin. Easy. In a pinch, try lightly melting your favorite jam or preserves to use in the middle layer of your cake. Any berry on any cake is always a hit. Enjoy some of our favorite toppings here.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

(Covers a two-layer eight-inch cake or 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

½ cup cold heavy cream

4 oz. finely chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (chocolate chips are not recommended)

3 sticks (12 oz.) unsalted butter at room temperatur

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 cup sifted Dutch cocoa powder

2 tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let stand for a few minutes before stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.

2. In a mixer, cream butter well. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Mix until blended on low then beat at medium speed for three more minutes, scraping sides of the bowl periodically.

3. Add chocolate-cream mixture and beat until frosting has lightened in color and becomes fluffy (about two more minutes) scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Chocolate Ganache

(Thicker, darker and richer than buttercream frosting. Ganache is delicious on pound cake, ice cream, any cake, or just by the spoonful. The better the chocolate quality, the better the results)

Ingredients:

8 oz. semi-sweet, bittersweet or combination of good chocolate

½ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup water

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten (the whites freeze well if you don't use them right away)

1-1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate and butter together in a small pot (double boiler, or if you trust yourself, directly in a small pot).

2. Add water. Stir until smooth on low heat. Do not boil.

3. Cool slightly.

4. Add slightly beaten egg yolks stirring constantly so you don't get scrambled eggs.

5. Add powdered sugar and vanilla.

Chill until it thickens to the degree you like before using. Freezes well.

Chantilly Cream

(A fancy sounding, often sweeter, thicker whipped cream. Good on cakes, pies, ice cream, in your coffee or by the spoonful.)

Ingredients:

1 cup very cold heavy whipping cream

¼ cup powdered sugar (you can always add more if you like it sweeter)

Pinch of fine salt

1 tsp. real vanilla extract (or vanilla paste) (Feel free to substitute liqueurs (Kahlua, brandy, etc.) or other extracts like almond, cherry or lemon. Go easy. You can always add but you can't subtract.)

1/3 cup mascarpone if you want it to be more stable for future use or stiffer piping (optional)

Directions:

1. Sift powdered sugar and salt into a mixing bowl.

2. Add very cold whipping cream.

3. Mix slightly, then add extract. Add mascarpone, if desired.

4. Beat until stiff peaks or until it looks like what you want.

5. Taste. Add more sugar or flavoring if needed.

Makes 2 cups.

Cream Cheese Frosting

(The key to a good cream cheese frosting is not to over sweeten it so it doesn't overwhelm the cake you are putting it on.)

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, room temperature, cut up

8 oz. block (not tub) of cream cheese, not previously frozen, room temperature

1 ½ tsp. real vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Beat the butter and cream cheese with a stand mixer.

2. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla.

3. Beat on high until smooth and creamy and the consistency you want. Don't beat until stiff.

Freezes well.

Fun fact: Icings tend to be thinner than frostings.

Next week, we will look at pork chops. Send your recipes to [email protected].